


A home at last

by Januaryskies



Series: A home at last [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Godfather Sirius Black, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Past Child Abuse, Werewolf Discrimination, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-08 12:59:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5497892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Januaryskies/pseuds/Januaryskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione always listen to the teachers. Even when they aren't teaching. That's how everything changed.<br/>Or, what had happened if Remus had stayed in the Shrieking Shack on the 6th June of Harry's third year.<br/>Yes, this is a huge fix-it and a huge bring-back-Black. Because, well, creating two incredible characters to push one in a plothole, erm, through a veil and killing the other in the backstage was just too unfair.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. End of chapter 19: The Servant of Lord Voldemort

“And two of us should be chained to this,” said Black, nudging Pettigrew with his toe. “Just to make sure.”

“I’ll do it,” said Lupin.

“With all due respect, Professor, it's a very bad idea,” said Hermione. “Professor Snape mentionned you didn't take your potion today. If you transform before we reach the castle, which may take time considering we've to take Professor Snape and Peter Pettigrew with us, you will be, ahem... dangerous? For all of us?”

Lupin and Black paled (and Harry asked himself how it was possible considering how livid Black already was before). 

“It's a good luck for us to have the best student in the team,” Lupin finally smiled, “to listen to the teachers even when they're not teaching.”

Hermione blushed. 

“Well, I'll stay there and spend the night here. Padfoot, I...”

“I'll take care of them,” Black answered at the unasked question. “All of them, even those two shits,” he added glaring at Pettigrew.

“Children's ears, mind your words, Sirius.”

“We're not children anymore,” Ron pouted. “Oh and by the way, I've something to try.”

He quickly pointed his wand out Pettigrew.

“Petrificus totalus,” he casted, hexing the little man right where he was. “Oooo so good to finally try it,” he smiled. “I was dreaming of that since first year!!!”

“You're childish,” Hermione said. 

“I don't care,” he teased her. “Let's go!”

And so they do. Lupin let his wand to Sirius, who used it to levitate the petrified Pettigrew since Hermione did the same with Snape. Harry helped Ron with the stairs. 

A few seconds, Lupin and Black exchanged a sight. 

“Remus, are you...”

“I'll be alright. Go.”

Black nodded and obeyed.

Lupin stayed behind and shut the door.


	2. Chapter 20: The Surrender of Sirius Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, pretty exactly what the title says.  
> At some point, I used a few paragraphs directly from the original book of JKR, so I put it in italics.

The night was quiet and warm as they emerged from the passage. 

“We need to be careful,” Black said. “The Dementors,” he added, and there was nothing more to say.

They left Snape, still passed out, in a bush near the lake, somewhere safe enough to spend the night if needed. The full moon rose upon their heads.

“Hermione,” Ron admitted, “you're brilliant. Definitively brilliant. I can't imagine what may have happen if Lupin had been there.”

As to approve, a wild howl came for the now far away Shack. It was a long, sad, lonely werewolf howl, and Black bowed his head.

“Poor professor Lupin,” Hermione said. “It must be so painful...”

“He'll be fine,” Sirius comforted her brushing her shaggy hairs. “He managed to stay alive twelve years without anyone to help him, he'll be able to spend one more night. Let's go. You really don't want the Dementors to find us.”

Harry and Sirius took the lead levitating Pettigrew in front of them, Hermione helping Ron right behind them.

“Do you know what it mean? Giving them Pettigrew...”

_“You’re free,” said Harry._

_“Yes...” said Black. “But I’m also — I don’t know if anyone ever told you — I’m your godfather.”_

_“Yeah, I knew that,” said Harry._

_“Well... your parents appointed me your guardian,” said Black stiffly. “If anything happened to them...”_

_Harry waited. Did Black mean what he thought he meant?_

_“I’ll understand, of course, if you want to stay with your aunt and uncle,” said Black. “But... well... think about it. Once my name’s cleared... if you wanted a... a different home...”_

_Some sort of explosion took place in the pit of Harry’s stomach._

_“What — live with you?” he said, “Leave the Dursleys?”_

_“Of course, I thought you wouldn’t want to,” said Black quickly._

_“I understand, I just thought I’d —”_

_“Are you insane?” said Harry, his voice easily as croaky as Black’s. “Of course I want to leave the Dursleys! Have you got a house? When can I move in?”_

_Black turned right around to look at him; Pettigrew’s head was down and craping the grass, but Black didn’t seem to care._

_“You want to?” he said. “You mean it?”_

_“Yeah, I mean it!” said Harry._

_Black’s gaunt face broke into the first true smile Harry had seen upon it. The difference it made was startling, as though a person ten years younger were shining through the starved mask; for a moment, he was recognizable as the man who had laughed at Harry’s parents’ wedding._

But soon something cooled the air around them.

“They're coming,” Sirius suddenly said. “Hermione, can you levitate Peter? I'll...”

But Harry rose his wand, his face wearing the most beautiful expression of joy he ever had. He had a family. Well, one-person family, but Sirius was kind, brave and willing to love him as a son, and that idea just made him that happy no Dementor could defeat him right now. 

“Expecto Patronum,” he casted and a huge, silver stagg jumped in front of them, bathing them in a sweet light and chasing the Dementors away. 

Black, Ron and Hermione were startling. 

“How can you...? It's an OWL-level spell!” Sirius exclaimed. 

“Professor Lupin taught me,” Hary answered, unable to stop smiling. “If you could only imagine how happy I am...”

“I don't need to,” Sirius said with a proud grin that make him look quite cocky despite his starved face. “I'm seeing it.”

He put a hand on Harry's shoulder. 

“And I'm as happy as you are. But we have to go. This isn't over yet.”

A moment later they knocked at Hogwarts' front door, shielded by an extatic-Harry's Patronus, Hermione still levitating a petrified Pettigrew. They've left Snape, still passed out, in a bush near the lake, somewhere safe enough to spend all the night if needed. 

Flich opened the door and froze in shock and horror. 

“B-B-B-B-” he babbled.

“Black, yeah,” Sirius ended for him. “No need to freak out. I’m here to surrender, so please call Dumbledore. Like, right now.”

Filch nodded once, twice, then went back in the castle, still startled. They waited a few minutes before the doors opened once more, revealing this time Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, wands up. When they discovered Black, a hand on Harry's shoulder, the other levitating a petrified Pettigrew, Crookshank loved around his neck, and Hermione helping Ron walking, their faces broke in the most disappointing, stunned expression ever. The three teenagers had a hard time not to burst into laughers, but Sirius calmy said:

“Good evening, Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall. I'm sorry it's quite late, but I'm here to surrender and ask for a proper trial for me and Mr Peter Pettigrew, right there, that you may recognize. As I don't own an owl for the time being, would you please be kind enough to contact Alastor Moody or whoever is the Auror in charge of my capture that I'm here and waiting?”

Even Dumbledore needed some seconds to be able to answer. 

“Well, I assume we shall give you a hand. Would you mind lead Mr Black somewhere less exposed, Minerva? Mr Filch, if you'll be kind enough to ask Madam Pomfresh to have an eye on young Mr Weasley, I'll Floo Moody immediately.”

“Thank you very much,” Black said in a quite aristocratic way and a polite nod that Harry supposed was a bit ironic.

What happened next was a confusing fuss. McGonagall leaded them in the nearest classroom, Hermione suddenly disappeared, Madam Pomfresh bought Ron right to the hospital wing and three Aurors ran in the castle. Or, to be precise, two of them ran and the third one, a quite frightening man with a normal eye and another huge, rolling madly in an eye patch, limped behind, wands up. 

Black, now standing between McGonagall and Dumbledore, rose his hands slowly. 

“I don’t have a wand and I won’t fight back,” he said. “But please put this one on anti-shapeshifting handcuffs… And if you need, me either. We both are Animagi.”

“You drove us crazy for months, Black,” the mad with the big eye answered putting Pettigrew the cuffs, the youngest Auror, a woman with bubble-gum pink hair and the apprentice-badge on the chest, doing the same with Sirius.

“I only have to ask for a fair trial,” Black said, calm but obviously fighting his dog-self need to run away.

“You already have had one,” the youngest Auror snapped.

“Barty Crouch’s orders are not what I call a fair trial, Miss…” and looking right at her for the first time, he suddenly broke in a half-amused, half-sceptical face. “O Merlin, are you little Dora?”

“Don’t call me Dora!” she growled in a very unaurorlike fashion. “I’m Tonks.”

“Andy and Ted’s daughter,” he smiled. “Not a lot of Metamorphmagus in England, and only one addict to bubble-gum hair since she's three…”

“Shut up, Black,” she ordered, but the third Auror, a tall black man, was fighting the urge to laugh, and Dumbledore and McGonagall were obviously smiling. 

“Do as she says, Black,” the third Auror advised him. “She’s Moody’s apprentice for a very good reason.”

“Never doubted it, Shacklebolt,” Sirius answered.

“Well, may I consider that we can leave you with the prisoners, and that they both will be decently and humanly threated?” Dumbledore asked. “I have no desire to open the Daily Prophet tomorrow morning to discover that Black had been kissed by a Dementor without his trial, making me break my word.”

“No Dementor’s kiss before the trial,” the oldest Auror answered. “We will insure that as a duty.”

“Will I be allowed to write to him?” Harry asked.

“I’ll do what I can, but your letters will be read,” the limp said before adding “sloppy,” that low that Harry wasn’t sure he hadn’t dream it.

“Well, good luck, Mr Black,” Dumbledore said, and leave. 

“You may say goodbye to your godfather, Mr Potter,” McGonagall added, “I’ll be waiting for you in the main corridor to escort you to the Gryffindor Tower.”

“Professor, please…” Sirius pleaded, and McGonagall stopped her move to go. 

“Yes, Mr Black?”

“It's about Remus. He’s in the Shack and he had no potion tonight. He… if you don’t mind…”

“Do not worry about him,” she answered, and then she went out.

Sirius sighted in relief. Harry was looking mindlessly at the handcuffs on Sirius’ wrists. 

“Time to go, Black,” Moody said grabbing the convict by the arm. 

Black didn’t withstand, but Harry needed more. He jumped on his feet and hugged his godfather tight before giving Moody a chance to object. 

“Take care of yourself, Prongslet,” Sirius said smiling. 

“I’m not the one back to jail!” Harry noticed. 

“I won’t believe Petunia had suddenly become friendly. So, I suppose we’re in the same tangle… I promise I’ll pick you up as soon as I’ll be cleared and able to put a roof over your head.”

“Will you be okay?”

“I will.”

Because of the handcuffs, he used both hands to gently rub Harry’s messy hair. But Moody was losing patience and cut it off.

“Black,” he snapped, and they had to break the hug. 

Harry’s stomach was melting away looking at his godfather vanishing passing the doors. 


	3. Chapter 21: At the dawn of the day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus wakes up. McGonagal keeps her promise. Moody... is still in a bad mood.

When the morning light found a way inside the Shrieking Shack, it found Remus Lupin too, and tickled his bleeding cheek, waking him up. He was naked in the dusted dark bedroom, bloody ripped pretty everywhere.

“O Merlin,” he growled, and hiss in pain. 

The night had been rough. Unable to stand up, he crawled to the old ragged bed and cuddled himself in a shabby blanket when he ear in relief the door creaking. 

“Good morning, Remus,” McGonagall's calm voice said upon him. “How are you?”

“Awful, to be honest,” he answered. 

“I brought you clothes and Mr Black's best regards. I'll escort you to the hospital wing as soon as you're ready. Do you need help?”

“Thank you, I... will be ok. I guess.”

She nodded and leave him alone the time he needed to dress up. Then she helped him limp back out the Shack and to Hogwarts, where he collapsed in one of the beds in the hospital wing, unable to move or even think. He soon fell into darkness and unconsciousness, unaware of the rumour growing outside.

When he woke up several hours later, he found McGonagall sitting near his bed, her face close and grave. 

“Sirius?” he asked hoarsely, still exhausted.

“Mr Black is perfectly fine, Remus, but... Severus woke up on a bush this morning, and he... he had mentioned your lycanthropy in the Great Hall. In front of almost all Hogwarts students. The first owls from angry parents are arriving since two hours or so, carrying howlers for the larger part.”

Lupin nodded, face closed, eyes shut. 

“I'm sorry, Remus,” McGonagall added. 

She looked truly concerned and Lupin knew she was. She always had. McGonagall cared of his students, even the grown-up ones. Especially when they're well-behaved, kind, smart and incredibly unlucky werewolves. 

“I'll leave today,” he croaked. 

“You have no need to urge more than necessary. And by the way, you'd better to stay there and rest at least today, you're not in shape to travel and the Aurors may want to ask you some questions, I assume, and Dumbledore as well.”

“What about you, Minerva? You never ask questions.”

“I already know the answers,” she said. “It make space for hope. For you, Mr Black and Mr Potter. The young one, of course. By the way, I took the liberty to afford this for you during your nap.”

She put a piece of parchment at the edge of the bed, between a cup of tea and a healing potion, and stood up.

“My duties can't suffer another delay, I'm afraid, but I know you will use it properly,” she said before leaving. 

Remus's eyes were closing by themselves. The last thing he remembered was mumbling a “thank you” as the door closed. 

Somewhere, he was pretty sure to hear Hagrid singing something about victory at the top of his lungs. 

Sirius never saw that dawn that woke Remus in the Shack. He had been locked up once more, thrown in a cell behind the Auror's Office at the Ministry. He knew that Peter shared his fate this time, and it was almost the only comforting meaning he was able to have before a well-known coldness stirred his guts that deeply that he had to fight back the need to chunder the few he had in his stomach.

Dementors. 

_“Are you crazy?”_ he yelled to Moody before the old Auror could leave. “Those fucking things want to eat my soul!” 

“They are ordered not to,” the one-eyed man dryly said. “You made me run around the whole country for one bloody year, Black, what do you expect?”

“Fairness, for once,” he answered with anger. “Justice if I can.”

“Well, Black, you're supposed to be a grown-up man very well aware there's no justice in that unfair world. They won't kiss you, but I won't take the risk to let you escape once more.”

“I surrendered, you old crazy _paranoid!_ ” Sirius yelled at a limping-out Moody. _“I fucking SURRENDERED!”_

But the cell's door closed and he was alone. Near that door, he could hear whispers from dead-like voices. 

“Kisssssssssss youuuuuu!” they muttered and chanted and hissed. “Kisssssssssssss isss duuuuue...”

And he knew he was back to hell.


	4. Chapter 22: The best teacher we've ever had

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where a curse is broken by the strengh of trust and the power of students willing to learn properly. Because motherly love isn't the only powerful positive energy.  
> Or, how Neville, Ginny and the Weasley twins lead a rebellion against Remus's worst fear.

“No way he’s leaving,” someone said at the Hufflepuff table. “He’s the best DADA teacher, like… ever!”

“Snape says he’s a _werewolf_ …” Ravenclaw.

“Snape’s a git.” Obviously Gryffindor.

“I asked Mum to check the registers at the Minister. Maybe it’s a joke?” Unexpected Slytherin.

“But he's a great teacher! Dumbledore won't let him leave like that...” Hufflepuff again.

“The whole Claw's seventh years graduated their NEWTs with at least an E thanks to him!” Ravenclaw of course.

“Who's the bloody traitor who tell the Daily Prophet? The front page is a bunch of awful lies!”

Neville went through the Hall, earing the whispers, and right to Ginny. He went well with her, maybe because he won't mind she was one year younger and she won't mind he was shyer than a mouse.

“Ginny, I need your help...”

“For what?”

“I need somebody brave, and your twin bros' help. We can't let Lupin leave.”

And since Harry was visiting Lupin at the hospital wing, since Hermione and Ron were both aslept, one because of saving a hippogrif with a time-turner and the other because a broken leg hurt like the hell, since Dumbledore was harassed by parents' owls and letters and howlers, Neville, Ginny and the Weasley twins were managing mischief. 

~~~ 

“Professor Lupin?” Harry asked, carefully waking him. 

Remus opened a tired eye, then smiled. He was still lying in the same bed McGonagall left him in the hospital wing, his body ripped pretty everywhere, deep cuts on the chest, legs and arms that a long-sleeves pajama and a lot of bandages smelling dittany were carefully hiding for the green-eyed teen. But there was no way to hide the huge, red scrach on his temple. 

“Good morning, Harry. Or is it afternoon?” 

“It's lunch time, professor. How are you?” 

“Quite fine, actually. It looks far worse than it is. How about you?” 

“I’m okay. Actually, I’m happy for Sirius. But... About you...” 

“Professor McGonagall told me about Snape, Harry, so don't worry. Of course, I'll leave Hogwarts as soon as Madam Pomfresh will let me go, in a few hours, I assume.” 

“You can't do that! You're an incredible teacher, far better than Quirell and a _billion_ time better than Lockhart!” 

“I'm not the only DADA teacher in the world, Harry. I'm pretty sure the next one will be excellent. And not asking anyone else to teach once a month because he's dead tired after shapesifting into a murderous monster.” 

“You're not a murderous monster.” 

“I am, if not for the Wolfsbane, Harry. You're a wise boy. You know how much it's dangerous and you don't want to know how painful it is. No one wants, believe me. Now, could you please be kind enough to give me the paper right here? Thank you.” 

“What is it?” 

“I don't even know. Professor McGonagall gave it to me.” 

The recovering werewolf unfolded the parchment and sighted, smiling. 

“It's a pass. I'll be able to visit your godfather, Harry. Do you want me to bring a letter?” 

“Sure!” 

“Then please write it this afternoon, because I'll leave before tea time.” 

“Yes, Professor,” Harry said. “May I help you?” 

“Thank you, but I'll be fine. Go write your letter and bring it to my office.” 

Harry nodded and obeyed. 

~~~ 

“Here he comes!” Colin Crivey squawked in warning. “Here he comes!” 

The students waiting in the courtyard froze and rose their eyes, something like two hundred eyes, to watch the doors slowly open. They all looked at Lupin, whose ripped face and limping leg revealed for the first time what he truly was: a werewolf. A true werewolf able to cut himself hard and deep a whole night if he can't find a prey to kill. Or worse, to bite. But here they were, Neville and Ginny standing in front of all the others, arms crossed on the chest, glaring angrily at him. 

“Well, I wasn't expecting a goodbye committee,” Lupin sadly admitted, “and I'm already ashamed enough, no need to push it... I understand your anger and your disregard, now please let me go.” 

“We won't,” said Ginny. 

Lupin frowned. 

“Please, Ginny, it's hard enough – ” 

“You don't understand. We won't let you go. We won't let you _leave._ ” 

A sudden astonished understanding grew on Lupin's flushing face. 

“She's right,” said Neville. “You can't leave.” 

“I'm sorry, Neville, but I had to.” 

“No. You can't. We won't let you, professor. With all due respect, don't you remember the Boggart? The first thing you've teach us is to face our fears, and you will run away? What were your lessons, then? Wind? Chitchat? _Lies?_ Look at us. We're standing here because we believe _it was not._ We're standing here because we believe in you. There's no way we let you go. We need you as our teacher because you're not a good teacher, you're a brilliant one. We need you because you give us faith in ourselves, even the shy ones, even the bullied ones, even the odd ones, and we will give you the same faith in return. And we don't care about you being shy or odd or bullied by the whole Wizarding world.” 

Neville stopped, looking very surprised himself by what he'd just done and said, and flushed bright red. 

“That's not what... Please understand, Neville, I'm a werewolf.” 

“We don't give a crap,” Ginny said. 

“Mind your words, young lady. And please consider that your parents, all of your parents, do give a crap, to borrow your words.” 

“They don't even know you! We do. We know you as a person. And about the werewolf part, we don't. Give. _A crap._ ” 

“We've got them!” Fred Weasley's joyful voice suddenly yelled in the park. “We've got them! All of them!” 

The twins ran to Neville and Ginny, levitating two huge trunks in front of them. They opened it, revealing hundreds of letters and already smoking howlers. 

“'Twas quite hard,” George said, panting, “but here we are. Take them, everybody!” 

And every student standing here went to the trunk and took a letter in front of an astonished Remus Lupin. 

“Those are the crap our parents give,” Ginny explained waving a red howler, “and this is our answer to it:” 

“INCENDIO!” a hundred voices casted, and the howlers and letters and whatever they were burned in a blink of an eye. 

“We are the students,” said Ginny. “We are the one teachers are teaching. Not our parents. Not the Minister. Not the Daily Prophet. Not those witches and wizards somewhere outside. And as the ones you are teaching, we want you to keep teaching us.” 

“Ginny... Neville... all of you, I... I just don't know what to say...” 

“Then don't say anything and stay,” a pale-blonde Ravenclaw girl called Luna said. 

She stepped forward and embraced him. He fought the tears for maybe three very hard seconds but when Ginny joined them, followed by too much students to count, he gave up and began to cry and to hug them back shyly and awkwardly. McGonagall entered the courtyard that very instant to find the three fourths of the Hogwarts students rounding of mad applauses and joyful roars as their werewolf-of-a-teacher surrendered and said that yes, he'll stay if Dumbledore was ok, 'because you really won't let me go, eh?' She looked at a weeping young man that twenty-two years ago had stepped for the first time in that courtyard, afraid and quaking, and discovering today, on the same courtyard, that he no longer had to fear. 

And she smiled, because she knew a curse had lifted by the only power of trust and tolerance.


	5. Chapter 23: Friendship, forgiveness and something we can't say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once more, pretty exactly what the title says. Or, a Angst&Fluff chapter.

The next day, Lupin Flooed to the Ministry and walked right to the Auror Office. 

“So you're here to see him?” Kingsley asked. 

“Yes,” Lupin nodded. “Here's the needed paper, now let me see my friend.” 

The Auror nodded, even smiled at him in sympathy. Lupin frowned. He wasn't accustomed to be threated with kindness by people who knew. Even in the Order, a few members only never seemed to care about his condition. 

“Just... be careful,” the Auror said. “Fudge asked a Dementor to stay near the cell. I'm not supposed to let you in with your wand but you may use a Patronus. Take your time.” 

“Oh... well, thanks.” 

The Auror smiled once more and casted his own lynx Patronus and led him though a dark, icying corridor. Both of their breathes created little cold clouds on the air and the werewolf quickly casted his wolf-Patronus, feeling the Dementor's presence, hidden in the shadows. A few empty cells later, he summoned a key to open a door and let Lupin in. 

At the instant he saw him, his heart broke. 

Sirius hunched up in the corner of a bare cell without even a window, gaunt face and caved, closed eyes, shivering shoulders, hands still trapped in anti-shapeshifting cuffs. He looked as exhausted as he was in the Shack, but the nervous tension of adrenaline in his body that had filled him with a feral life was gone. He seemed to be ready to just fade or vanish, like he was that frail that disappearing should be natural. 

“Oh for Merlin's sake, Sirius...” 

Remus kneeled near him, cupped his chin to wake him up, gently rubbing his thumb on his cheekbone. His wolf-Patronus shielded both of them from the Dementor's coldness. Sirius's eyes blew up wide open and he tried to avoid the warm contact for a second before despair broke up his face with a daring, angry smirk. 

_“Moony?_ Is that the next nightmare?” 

“Hey, that's rude, Pads!” he mused. “I know I always look awful after a full moon, but don't push it, will you?” 

“Are you real?” his friend croaked. 

“Yes, I am,” he said, pulling him in a tight embrace to comfort him as much as possible, gently patting his head and rubbing his icy-cold neck, “and I swear I'll have a word with Moody as soon as I can. It's not what man call 'humanly treatment'... Does anyone even bother to feed you?” 

“I don't know, I can't remember eating but – Moony, I can't concentrate. The Dementor, it's – whispering. Things. About me. It's saying it'll kiss me...” 

“It won't, Padfoot, I won't let them,” Lupin said not loosen his grip on him, but grabbing a chocolate bar in his pocket. “Here, try to eat this, it'll help.” 

“How was the moon?” Sirius asked, slowly trying to chew some chocolate. “I'm sorry I wasn’t there...” 

“Don’t be silly. I survived it. I always survive.” 

“Would you forgive me? For not trusting you enough? For making such a fucking wrong choice? For screwing up? For – everything?” 

“I forgave you the very instant I saw Peter’s name on the Map, Padfoot. I must have known. I must have helped you. I must have asked for a trial, something, anyth-” 

Sirius’s hand on his mouth made him shut. 

“You’re telling nonsenses, Moony. That’s now I need your help. I need you to help me prepare my defence.” 

“They had Pettigrew! I don’t even understand why they bother keeping you in jail.” 

“He’s saying he’s not him.” he said in a flat voice. “He’s trying to confuse them the way he confused us twelve fucking years ago, telling half-truths, half-lies, and Crouch doesn’t want to admit he had send an innocent in Azkaban for twelve years. Same about Scrimgeour. They’re trying to find a good reason to prove they were right, and if not sending me back to Az’ – what they’re dreaming of, I assume – at least they’d like to refuse me Harry’s legal guard or lock me up in St Mungo's or whatever. They’re going to convince me mad. Insane. I heard them speaking about how Blacks are supposed to be crazy. Being Bella's cousin doesn't help.” 

“What the hell?! They can’t! They don’t have the fucking right to-“ 

A crazy bark-like laugh cut him there. 

“Moony, you’re _swearing!_ You almost convinced me that you were now a perfect teacher, but, er, you're still my Remus, swearing and growling.” 

“Er- Ta, Sirius.” 

But Sirius was cuddling against his chest now, suddenly quiet and tired and sore, and… 

“Moony?” 

“Yes, Padfoot?” 

“I’m afraid to ask you that, but – shit, I fucking need to know. Do you, er, well – have someone? In your life?” 

“Yes, I do,” he answered quietly, tightening his grip around his friend’s quivering body. “Right now, I do.” 

“Oh, I – well, I assume I’m glad for you. Bloke or bird?” 

“Sirius, are you serious?” 

“Try to say that ten times. But yes, I’m serious. Must be someone amazing.” 

Unable to hide the wide grin growing in his face, Lupin decided to have some fun. 

“Truly amazing. Decent bloke, actually. Strong mind, black hairs, grey eyes, deadly handsome, incredibly faithful, brave beyond anything.” 

“What about your furry little problem?” 

“He knows and never cared about.” 

“You’re together since?” 

“Well, I assume we were forced in a twelve-years-long break, but everything seems to go better since two days ago.” 

The sudden startled understanding on Sirius’s face made Remus laugh, truly, fairly, madly laugh. 

“You’re a git,” Sirius pouted cuddling again against him. 

“Sorry. The temptation was too great. But Sirius, if you still want to give us a chance to, well, er – date? Be together?” 

“Love,” Sirius answered. “Yes, I do. I love you, Moons.” 

“So do I, Pads. We’ll go through this, okay?” 

Sirius nodded in Remus's shoulder. They stayed there a long, blessed time before Lupin, being his reasonable self, gently shook his mate. 

“We had your defense to prepare, Pads. Oh, and this is from Harry,” he added handing him a letter.


	6. Chapter 24: Letters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Harry discovers that Sirius love PSs.

Dear Sirius,

It's quite strange to write to you right now, because I met you yesterday, but I need to talk to you. I will ask McGonagall if I can visit you, which I hope, and if I can testify on your favour at the trial, too. 

How are you? Professor Lupin told me not to worry, but it's quite hard, because I know you're back in jail and it must be tough for you. I will try to write as much as I can. You don't need to answer if you're too busy preparing for the trial, of course. 

Ron's leg is okay, he's saying everything was pretty fun, even if I know he's a bit sad for Scabbers, and Hermione sends you her best regards, as she said. 

I'm happy I'm going to live with you. I'm sure you're the greatest godfather ever. After all, my parents appointed you, didn't they? 

Take care of yourself. 

Harry. 

PS: I'm giving this letter to Professor Lupin, he said he was okay to give it to you. I'm glad he can visit you. I think I'll give him my letters, then I'll be sure you had them.  


_Dear Harry,_

_I'm really glad and incredibly lucky to have been able to talk to you and to convince you about everything. You're as smart as your mother was, and please believe me when I say it's a compliment. Things here are what they are, ~~Moony~~ Professor Lupin is right: don't worry for me, I handled Azkaban for twelve years, I can handle the cells in the Ministry for two weeks. The trial will be shelduled soon, I'll let you know the day. The Ministry is not willing journalists nor onlookers to be there, so it shall be a private audience. The Wizengamot doesn't want the whole Wizarding World to know about the numerous flaws in my judicial and legal case, including the fact that I didn't have any trial twelve years ago._

_Your friends are faithful ones, keep them close! And by the way, what kind of pet do you think your friend Ron might enjoy? He'd lost his rat because of me, I ought to replace it._

_As soon as I'm cleared, I swear you we'll be a real family, like your parents wanted us to be._

_Merlin, I already miss you. Take care of you and keep an eye on M Lupin for me, please._

_Sirius._

_PS: I'm the one who send you the Firebolt. It's your Christmas-and-thirteen-birthday gift._

_PPS: Your stag-Patronus is your father's Animagus form. Prongs stand for his antlers, of course, but maybe Remus already told you._

_PPPS : Your parents shall be so proud to have you for a son. And I am, to have you for a godson._

_PPPPS: I promise this is the last PS. Do you like living on the countryside?  
_

Dear Sirius,

I just can't thank you enough for the Firebolt. That broom is a marvel, and I love it. Of course, Hermione found out about you sending it to me at the instant she saw it, so she's going to say that she was right for at least three days, now, but it's the best gift anybody ever gave me and anyway, Hermione's always right. She's like that.

I think Ron may like an owl, because he always says he'd like Scabbers to be useful at something. 

And I like countryside, I think. I love the Burrow, and I hate Privet Drive. Why do you ask? Are you going to buy a house? I have at least one thousand questions I want to ask you, but Professor Lupin is very busy preparing the trial and so you must be, so I won't bother you for now. But is that true you have a flying motorbike? Hagrid told me that, and it looked like the coolest thing ever!

I can't wait to meet you again,

Harry.  


_Dear Harry,_

_Glad you enjoyed it. Hermione looks very brilliant, isn't she? Remus – I'm sorry, I really can't call him Professor Lupin, it's just too weird for the time being – says she's the best student of your year. And I'll try to find a owl for Ron._

_I owned a flying motorbike before I was sent to Azkaban, but I don't know what happened to it. Maybe Hagrid still had it? I lend him it one day and never had the opportunity to ask him to give it back._

_The trial is shelduled three days before the end of schoolyear, so if everything goes right, I'll be able to pick you up at the Hogwarts Express and back home, or back to your Aunt and Uncle's house if you want to say goodbye or take your stuff._

_Love,_

_Sirius._

_PS: What kind of music do you like?_

_PPS: You're not the only one with a thousand of questions. We'll have plenty of time very soon for that.  
_

Dear Sirius,

I will be there tomorrow. Professor McGonagall will be with me. Ron and Hermione wanted to be your witnesses too, but Professor Lupin said it won't be necessary.

Love,

Harry.


	7. Chapter 25: The Trial of Sirius Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter is a f*** filthy liar, Crouch is a f*** old bastard and Scrimgeour isn't better.

At the morning of the trial, McGonagall flooed with Harry at the Ministry. Harry had made extra efforts to look like a proper young wizard, wearing his school uniform with a Gryffindor badge on it, but he lost the war against his messy hair anyway. The Ministry was huge and impressive, but McGonagall led him straight to the Court and he didn't care at all: the only thing that mattered to him was his godfather's freedom. 

They met Lupin at the door. He wore his best robe too, even it was still very patched and shabby. He greeted them quietly as usual. 

“Is he already here?” Harry asked anxiously. “May I see him?” 

“Not before the trial, I'm afraid,” McGonagall answered. “And he won't come through this door. This is the witnesses' door, not the accused's one.” 

Harry frowned. 

“But they had Peter...” 

“Yes,” Lupin said, and something in his voice was scared but determined, “but he's lying and chatting and confusing everybody, it... it will not be as easy as it seemed.” 

“They won't send him back to Azkaban, will they?” Harry almost cried. _“They can't!”_

“Calm down, Harry,” Lupin firmly said. “And trust me when I'm saying they won't. I will not let them, no matter the cost of it – except your own sake.” 

“My own sake is _him being free_ ,” he firmly said. 

McGonagall and Lupin exchanged a smile. The Headhouse of Gryffindor seemed willing to add something, but the door opened and a cold, very cold wave shake the three of them. Inside, Harry knew it, Dementors were waiting. 

“It's time,” McGonagall said casting a cat-Patronus to shield them. “Brace yourselves, boys.” 

They entered the Court, where the judges were already sitting in red robes. One of them was sitting on a higher chair, so Harry supposed he was the judge. He was an old, straight, scarry man whose face didn't seemed to be able to smile. Next to him was another man, slightly younger, looking like an old, dangerous lion with hairs around his head like a wild mane. A twenty-something woman with a quill was obviously the court clerk. 

Sirius entered the Court by a lower door, escorted by two Aurors that sat him in the accused chair, whose handcuffs clapped around his wrists. Harry tensed, and he could feel Lupin shiver near him. At least his godfather had been allowed to take a shower, but they didn't let him shave nor give him anything else than the rags he had the night Harry met him. He looked miserable and, with his beard and shaggy-messy hairs, definitively a bit mad. The two Aurors went away, leaving him at the Dementor's mercy. They all saw him shake when the Patronuses stopped to shield him, but he bit his lips hard enough not to moan. 

It was too much to handle for Remus. He wasn't even aware that he casted his own wolf-Patronus, who ran through the stairs and jumped in a beautiful silver leap to Sirius's feet, where it laid down. 

“Who did that?” the old, straight, sticky man that seemed to be the judge asked dryly. 

“I did,” Lupin answered standing up near Harry, clearly defying him to take it back. “Any objections?” 

The old man was willing to answer, but his neightbour, a man with hairs like a lion mane around his head, rose a hand to prevent it. 

“As longer as it doesn't disturb the audience, we are allowing this,” he said with a disgusted twist on his mouth. “Please sit down, _professor_ ,” he added, ironic. 

Lupin obeyed and sighted. McGonagall's lips were stuck in a very desapproval wrinkle. Sirius rose his head and looked at Harry and Remus with a cocky, daring grin, and winked. Harry's chest filled with pride. 

Another door opened and Peter entered, escorted by two other Aurors exactly like Sirius, and he had anti-shapeshift handcuffs, but he sat on the other side of the witnesses' chairs, not on another accused one, where he was shielded by Aurors' Patronuses. McGonagall looked positively outraged. The judge slowly began to talk and the clerk to write: 

“I, Bartimeus Crouch Sr, declare open the trial of Sirius Orion Black, that 24th June 1994. The charges against Mr Black are the murder of Mr Peter Pettigrew the 1st November 1981, the unregistered Animagus form he mastered at an unknow date and the affiliation to the Death Eaters and loyalty to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” 

“I never was a Death Eater,” Sirius snapped. “ _He_ was the Death Eater” 

He showed Pettigrew in a kinda aristocratic gesture of the head. 

“And as you can see, he's still alive, which is the better proof that I didn't kill him.” 

“The facts are, Mr Black,” Crouch almost spited, “that there is no proof that the wizard you claimed being Peter Pettigrew _is_ Peter Pettigrew. The lack of a finger is not a proof, considering how many ways you can loose a finger. Besides, the pictures we have from Peter Pettigrew aren't very accurate and the man here looks exactly like who he said he is.” 

“I'd like to hear that,” Sirius taunted, sarcastic. 

“You will be pleased, then,” the lion-looking man said. “Please tell the court your name, Mister.” 

“Howard Harriet,” Pettigrew answered with a confident tone. “You've got a picture of me in the Daily Prophet of the 5th of November 1981, a few weeks after my disappearance.” 

“We have a Howard Harriet registered as a wizard and here's the picture,” the clerk said enlarging a clipping of the newspaper. 

The likeness with Pettigrew was startling. 

_“The bastard,”_ Lupin muttered, and Harry pinched his lips hearing him. 

“Please prove it describing your wand, Mister Harriet,” Crouch asked anyway. 

“Appletree, quite pliable, with an unicorn hair inside. Made by Ollivanders, of course.” 

“Right, right. Mister Harriet, you disappeared fifteen years ago, during the first war against You-know-who. What happened to you?” 

“As a Muggleborn, I knew I was in danger, and I decided to find a way to hide. Becoming an Animagus seemed a quite safe solution, but I had to do it in secret because I didn't know if some Death Eaters already had infiltrated the Minister or not and...” 

“Bloody fucking damn _liar_ ,” Black growled. 

“Mind your words, Black, and remember it's not your turn to talk,” Crouch snapped him. “Please continue, Mister Harriet.” 

“Well, as you may know, my family was murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange, which is Black's cousin, and I had to hide in France for three years. That's where I finally managed to become an Animagus and lost my finger in a row with a cat. I'd like to go back in England, where my girlfriend was still staying, but when I came back, she was dead too, and I became a bit mad, I think. I wandered in my animagus form because it was easier to deal with the grief that way and then I happened to be adopted as a pet by a boy called Percy. I had nowhere to go and was an unregistered Animagus, and I stayed there. I was thinking for a while, but the boy loved me and I was fond of him too. Clever, wise young boy. And in rat form, you know, the time isn't the same and... and there I am.” 

“How do you explain Sirius Black's interest in hunting and killing you?” 

“I may assume he wanted to end his cousin's work? She killed my whole family, you know, so, I -” His voice broke in a sob Harry was sure had nothing true, but a few wizards whispered in concern. 

“But he couldn't know about you beeing an Animagus?” 

“I don't know! Ask him! Isn't he the Death Eater that killed twelve Muggles and a wizard?He knows the Dark Arts! He may have ways? He says I'm that 'Peter Petti-something', I never even met this man! He's insane!” 

“As you can see, Mr Black, there's nothing to prove that Mr Harriet is Mr Pettigrew. They may be doppelgangers, but this was never a proof of anything but you being insane, like most of your fam-” 

“Don't you fucking _dare_ to compare me to them,” Sirius litteraly barked in anger. “I can't change who they were but _I never was like them!_ That filthy rat is lying on your face and you're prefering sending me back to Az' than admitting you messed up twelve years ago, Crouch! He is Peter Pettigrew, he is a bloody Death Eater and a dirty traitor and he's the fucking reason my two best friends _died_ and my godson is an _orphan_ and I _swear_ if you don't send him to Az', _I'll kill him anyway!”_

Crouch rose his eyebrows and his hand, but Sirius seemed out of control. It was too much for him to handle, and Harry felt more and more guilty each second. _He_ was the one who told Sirius and Remus not to kill Pettigrew. What if his kindness for the man who betrayad his parents tore his only family left appart of him? 

“Please mind your words, Black,” the lion-looking man snapped, “You're in a Court.” 

“A Court? You call that bloody masquerade a _Court_ , Scrimgeour? Ha! It's a nursery for crying babies that are afraid to look right at their flaws! It's easier, isn't it? Believing I'm insane! How ea-” 

“Shut up, Sirius,” a calm, quiet but firm voice suddenly snapped, and to everyone's surprise, Sirius did. 

It was Lupin, of course, looking peaceful, but Harry and McGonagall could see his hands shaking. 

“As you all know, my name is Remus John Lupin and I am Hogwarts' Defense Against Dark Arts professor. I am aware that as a werewolf, my word doesn't have the same weight and power than a wizard's, but I was there, and so was young Harry Potter, when Sirius Black found that man here that I believe to be Peter Pettigrew as well. I'm not able to give you any material proof that he is Peter Pettigrew, and you won't believe me because of what I am, or believe Harry because he is too young and didn't even know Peter Pettigrew before his disappearance... That's why I ask for the Veritaserum.”


	8. Chapter 26: Veritaserum

The whole Wizengamot startled. Asking for the Veritaserum was actually a right of any witness of a trial, even a werewolf, but most people didn't want to claim their most intimate secrets in front of dozen of witches and wizards, especially when those witches and wizards were the one ruling the country.

“I ask for the veritaserum,” Lupin repeated. “For that man calling himself Howard Harriet.” 

“Remus, you can’t – ” Black began. 

“I very well can indeed, Sirius, so shut up and let me do what I have to.” 

And so did Sirius. 

“You’re aware,” Barty Crouch said to Lupin, “that if you ask for the veritaserum, you’ll have to drink first the same amount as he will.” 

“I know the rule. Please proceed.” 

Peter was fifty shades paler. Sirius’ hand was shaking. The clerk handed Remus a tiny glass. 

He drank the crystal-clear potion in an eyelid. 

“I’m ready when you are,” he said to the whole Wizengamot. 

But the first question didn’t come from where it was expected. 

“Remus why…?” Sirius croaked, shocked. 

“Because I love you as much as it's humanly possible to love someone, because you’re my last and only friend and because I'm lonely and scared and bloody dead inside when you're not at my side and because I hate the idea they may send you back in Azkaban,” Lupin said without a breath. “Now please let them ask before it get even more embarrassing, Pads.” 

Harry was pretty unable to think at that right moment Professor Remus John Lupin, the most closed and private person he knew, the exact kind of people able to spend a whole year looking after his best friend’s orphaned son without even telling him about it, began to tell his whole life in front of the Wizengamot. 

“How did you know about Peter Pettigrew being an Animagus?” someone asked. 

“I was bitten by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback as a child,” Remus immediately answered. “Professor Dumbledore was kind enough to find a solution for me to go to Hogwarts anyway: I spend the full moons locked up in the Shiekring Shack. But my three closest friends discovered it when we were second-years, and they managed to become Animagi to be able to stay with me during those nights. In fifth year, James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew became unregistered Animagi. In order to stay with me anytime. James was a stag, Sirius a dog and Peter a rat.” 

“And when Black managed to escape from Azkaban, you didn’t tell anybody about him being an Animagus?” Barty Crouch snapped. “Why?” 

“Because I was afraid that I may lost my job one more time. Even as an inferior creature, a hybrid or whatever you want to call me, I still need to eat and to have a roof over my head. Actually, the roof part really matters considering the Wolfsbane potion’s price, at least if you don’t want to hurt anybody. I had hard times to find a job, I'm mostly rejected and often persecuted for what I am. When you had to choose between eating and pay your rent, you don't want to take any risk about your job. So please understand that even if I'm registered as a werewolf in your damn papers, it doesn't mean that I've no right to live and fail and fear!” 

The last words went out with rage. Crouch was as cold as a stone, Scrimgeour had a disgusted twist on his mouth, but a few other witches and wizards seemed far more comprehensive, to Harry's relief. 

“How did you concluded that Mr Harriet was Peter Pettigrew?” 

“I saw him in the Shrieking Shack. That's where Sirius were hiding. When I saw Harry and his friends running inside, I followed. I was sure that it was a trap, that Sirius wanted to kill Harry. I was wrong. Peter was alive, he was Ronald Weasley's pet rat. He begged me and Sirius not to kill him, he begged Harry and his friends, too. Sirius is innocent. I believed he had played with me, betrayed James and Lily and destroyed everything I loved but I was wrong. He didn't. Peter did, Peter who's right there, telling lies like he always did and you're falling in his trap just like Sirius and I did twelve years ago and I will not let you do that.” 

Every eye was locked up on Lupin. He had spoken clearly, as quiet as usual after his little wave of rage had passed, but the wolf-Patronus on Sirius's lap was shining brighter than ever. 

“Do you want to know anything else?” he politely asked. 

“No, thank you, Mr Lupin, it will be more than enough. This is your turn, Mr Harriet.” 

Peter was still blank. He knew he was trapped and had no choice over. His tiny, ratty eyes were that full of hate against Remus that Harry shivered. 

“Who are you?” Barty Crouch asked after Peter had drunk the Veritaserum. 

“H – H – P – Peter Pettigrew.” 

“Were you a Death Eater and if yes, when did you became one?” 

“Yes I was. I became a Death Eater in 1980, a few days after the Potters' wedding.” 

Both Black and Lupin struggled. It was far earlier than what they had expected. 

“Were you James and Lily Potter’s Secret’s Keeper?” 

“I was,” Peter answered with anger, the potion aching in his mind and mouth to let the true out. “They choose me after I drove Sirius and Remus in a row to break the trust between them. I knew that Sirius would rather die than broke the spell, so I had to manage to be the Keeper at first, and make him distrust Remus was the easier way.” 

“How did you drive them to distrust each other?” 

“I choose the right moments. Moments Remus wasn’t here, trying to convince werewolves to help the Order and not the Dark Lord, to send informations to other Death Eaters so they can lead a quick attack and vanish and I may innocently said to Sirius some ‘for Merlin’s sake I wish Remus was there to help, where is he again?’ when I perfectly knew. Then I took pictures with me as a polyjuiced-Remus, dealing with known Death Eaters, and asked questions and used some confusion potions into Sirius’ butterbeer ten or twelve times, and I told Remus that Sirius was crying after Regulus Black’s death, which was true by the way, and so I drove them onto a big tantrum fight two days before the Fidelitas. And Sirius asked me to be the Keeper and we switched.” 

On his chair, Sirius was deadly pale, bitting his lips to blood to keep calm. The silver wolf on his lap growled slowly, and Lupin’s face had become that feral Harry could imagine how he looked as a werewolf. 

“All of them,” Peter went on, “all of you. You always underestimated me. Oh! What was, after all, the little Peter Pettigrew in front of the mighty James Potter, the handsome Sirius Black and the oh-so-kind Remus Lupin? You admitted me as your friend only because we shared the same dorm, but still… Who get all the girls at his feet and never even had a look at them? Who was teachers’ pet, no matter the subject? Who was the Head Boy, the Quidditch hero, the one-true-love of the most brilliant student of the school? Not to mention Lily, beautiful, sweet, bloody perfect Mudblood _Lily!_ You were all four here, White Knights of Good in Shining Armors, admired and loved and all that stuff, and none of you ever looked at me to truly know who the hell I was. I hated the three of you, your perfect little happiness I couldn’t share and then, the Dark Lord gave me _power._ Power to be stronger than the three of you, no, the four of you including silly Lily you decided to include in the team without consulting me, power to rule and to have what I wanted to and yes, I betrayed you. Oh and by the way, Sirius, the spell you put on the Marauders’ Pact we signed in fourth year… You were lucky it was that strong, because of its power I really was unable to betray you before the birth of that stupid boy you call a godson. I had to stole it from the flat you shared with Remus and burn it on a Fiendfyre to be freed of it before joining the Death Eaters.” 

During the whole speech Harry had looked at Sirius, who was fighting hard to keep his tears in his eyes. Lupin’s face was now carefully closed. And the whole Wizengamot was miserably failing at keeping their composure. Scrimgeour seemed half-disgusted, half-angry. Crouch was the only one that didn't looked affected in any way. Harry was pretty sure he knew all along who Peter truly was. 

“Well, it seems to be clear that we've been played and abused by you, Mr Pettigrew. You will be send to Azkaban within a week. Mr Shacklebolt, Miss Tonks, please take him away and back to his cell, and ask the Dementors to watch him carefully.” 

They obeyed and drove a still-babbling Pettigrew out of the Court. The last words Harry could hear were _“He will be back and you will all pay! All of you!!!”_ screamed in hate and fear. 

“Well, Mr Black, you are now cleared of the murder of Peter Pettigrew and any eventual affiliation to the Death Eaters. Stay the case about the insulting behaviour you commited during this audience and the unregistered Animagus case that -” 

“I _have_ paid for that, all of that!” Sirius cut him. “And far more than I should have. Being an unregistered Animagus is liable to three years in Azkaban maximum, if it is proven that the animal form had been used to break some laws or so. I spend _twelve fucking years_ locked up in a cell without even a trial for a crime I didn't perpetrate, so please have the decency to _shut the fuck up_ , Crouch! All you want to prove is that you weren't wrong to send me in jail the minute I was arrested, but I don't give a shit 'bout that.” He rolled his eyes in exasperation, his hands unconsciously moving in the handcuffs, cutting himself a bit deeper. “I won't drive you mad with that, I won't blackmail anyone, nor drag the Wizengamot in mud or scandal or whatever. I won't call Rita Skeeter tomorrow morning to give her the scoop of her live. I won't even play the hero back from the dead. I just want to be able to live with my _godson._ You send me twelve years in hell. I'm only asking for peace now.” his voice broke at this point, and remained tired and sad and almost lifeless. “Nothing more than living in peace with the ones I love and care. Stop playing and pretending, please. Pettigrew's there, your honour's safe, justice's done, now let me leave.” 

“I only want to be sure that nothing remain hidden,” Barty Crouch said, and Harry's jaw tensed. 

Couldn't that stubborn man just end that trial? he thought. Scrimgeour seemed to think the same thing, because he waved his wand and Sirius's handcuffs opened. 

_“That nothing remain hidden?”_ Black's mouth dropped in disbelief. “But what the bloody hell do you want me to hide? Oh, yeah, okay, I can talk to cats in my Animagus form, what I learned a few months ago because of a half-Kneazle orange cat during my run. Professor McGonagall and I will now be able to have long and deep philosophical discussions in our respective Animagus forms. Great. Very interesting. Anything else? Or may I go? You stole me twelve years, I don't want to give you a fucking minute more.”


	9. Chapter 27: Jackets and reunions.

Harry ran down the witnesses' stairs and jumped in Sirius's arms. His godfather hugged him tight before dropping him on the floor, still hugging anyway. He wasn't strong enough to keep him picked up too long. He ruffled his godson's messy hair and winked, beaming, wildly happy. 

“Thanks to have been there, Harry,” he said leading him out of the Court since McGonagall and Lupin managed their own way in a far more conventional fashion than the teenager. 

“I didn't even do anything!” Harry exclaimed. “Professor Lupin did everything.” 

“You helped me keeping my mind straight, even if you weren't aware of it,” Sirius answered. 

Harry smiled wider. He was in a cloud, even that deep inside the Earth. 

“Are you still willing to live with me?” Sirius asked. 

“Of course I am! Holidays are in three days, will you pick me up at the train?” 

“Won't miss that for anything in the world, pup.” 

They met McGonagall and Lupin, that arrived from the witnesses' corridor. Both Remus and Sirius swallowed. 

“Congratulations,” McGonagall said, not unaware, but obviously uncaring of the little tension, “I'm happy you're freed and cleared, Mr Black. And as your former Transfiguration teacher, I had to admit I'm proud that three of my students managed to become Animagi, even if they didn't register.” 

“You always were an inspiration for us,” Sirius answered, half-serious, half-teasing. 

“I might be aware, considering you're willing to have _long and deep philosophical discussions_ with me,” she obviously smiled, to Harry's surprise. 

“I must thank you, Professor. Remus said you gave him the pass he had to visit me, and that you allowed Harry to be there.” 

“If I may, I never approved Albus's decision to put Mr Potter at the Dursley's. You may be a reckless daredevil, Sirius, but I remember very well how happy you were when your godson was born.” 

Sirius blushed scarlet and scratched the back of his neck, to Harry's amusement. 

“If you still love him half as much as you loved him those days you were babysitting him, then he'll be far more happy with you than with those abusive Muggles. Now, I had to bring that young man back to Hogwarts for the three last days of class he still had left.” 

She stepped forward and passed him, gesturing for Harry to follow her. He took a step away too, but was still looking at his godfather and his DADA teacher, that were now facing, distantly following them. 

“So... What's next?” Sirius asked, voice unsure, staring at Remus. 

Harry didn't understand the question, but he waited Lupin to answer, a widely-smiling Lupin. 

“You utter git,” the teacher taunted. “It's called living, and you once were pretty good at it.” 

“Stop teasing me, Remus. You know what I mean.” 

Which was thanksful, because Harry didn't. 

“And you know my answer, Sirius. You always have.” 

Both stopped walking, making Harry turn back and watch them peering at each other, a strange grave smile breaking on their faces. It was still totally cryptic to Harry, but he didn't care because that smile was, no matter what, a happy one. 

Then all sudden Sirius grabbed Remus' collar, pull him tight against him and snogged him furiously. After a second freezing, the werewolf finally surrendered and kissed him back. When Sirius released him, both of them panting breathlessly, a startled silence dazed everyone, including Harry. McGonagall seemed the only one expecting it. Oh Merlin, Harry thought. His godfather and his teacher were gay. And apparently in love. Like a deep, feral, canine love. Wow. 

“Sirius Orion Black, you’re a mess about tact and teaching,” Remus scolded. “Do you think a second Harry may be shocked?” 

“Why? He’s James and Lily’s son! Hey, Harry, you don’t mind Rem and I being together, do you?” 

“Of course not,” Harry said grinning wide, amused and happy and completely ecstatic, because it implied that his favourite teacher will spend a large part of the summer with them. “That’s great!” 

Sirius laughed and rubbed his godson’s messy hairs and Lupin chuckled. 

“Please be careful anyway. I’m not that sure all the Wizengamot's members are gone, and I don't want to give them another reason to hate us.” 

“Actually, they are,” McGonagall said, refraining another grin. “Remus, if you need your day, I assume Filch may replace you to watch the students’ exams, but Mr Potter had to go.” 

“I, erm. It's very kind of you but I – ” 

“May I be a bit more clear? Take that day-off. It's an order.” 

Remus and Sirius startled. 

“Yes, Professor,” Black finaly joked, beaming. “Please take good care of my godson!” 

He hugged Harry one last time, giving him a kiss on the forehead. Unwillingly, his godson stepped back and followed McGonagall. 

“See you on the Platform 9 ¾, pup!” he said, pulling a wide smile on Harry's face before he flooed back to Hogwarts. 

Remus and Sirius went to the Auror's Office where a mumbling Moody gave them Sirius's wand back, with a few other personnal effects that may never have left the office another way. He took the box, but didn't open it in front of the Aurors. A few of them were old workmates and he didn't want to show off. 

“Let's go somewhere more private,” he asked Remus. “I'll change. I'm not able to handle those bloody journalists right now. Better let Crouch and Scrimgeour do the announcement by themselves.” 

Remus nodded, understanding. 

“Where do you want to go? I've got a few change there, you don't need to go to Gringotts right now.” 

“Would you mind Muggle London? Some hotel where they're okay with dogs? I don't want to go to Grimmauld Place and I assume you live in Hogwarts...” 

“Okay. Give me the box, then, you can't carry it as a dog. And let's go. The quicker we're out of there, the better.” 

Remus took the box and Sirius shapeshifted in his huge bearlike dog form. He yelped at Moony, and they went out of the Ministry. 

They needed a couple of hours in the Muggle London to find a hotel that was dog-friendly and willing to rent a room to a shabby, strange looking man but Sirius led Remus near a punk-rock shop, in a small alley where everybody was strange looking anyway, and here was a strange looking hotel, whose landlady was perfectly fine with everything except prejudices. 

The room they rent wasn't as bottom of the range as it looked like at first sight: it was quite wide, with a desk, a large, fresh bed, two armchairs and a bouquet of flowers at the edge of the bed that filled the air with a light, delicate perfume. There also was a small and very clean bathroom with a bath that Remus immediately began to fill with warm water while Black opened the box. 

_“My jacket!”_ Sirius beamed discovering the black motorbike leather jacket inside. “Oh Merlin,” he whispered and broke in tears half a second later, falling on his knees on the floor and burying his face in the bedsheet. 

“Padfoot?” Remus gently asked, kneeling near him, circling him with his arms. “Sirius? Talk to me, love. Please talk to me.” 

“It's just...” he croaked, glaring at the jacket, “It's just that... It was James's gift, do you remember? He offered it to me for my seventeenth birthday, a few months after I ran away. He charmed it to prevent motorbikes' accidents. 'I don't want my best friend to crack the empty skull he had for a head,' he said...” 

Remus nodded sadly. How well he remembered! 

“Come here,” he whispered pulling Sirius in a tight embrace. “I know it hurt. I know how much it hurt...” 

Sirius took handfuls of Remus's robe, like he was at the edge of a cliff and trying not to fall. 

“Think about Harry,” Lupin sweetly ordered. “Think about me. Think about freedom. James would be proud of you, Sirius. He would be glad his son had his family back, even if it's a tiny, broken and unusual one. He would be glad you're not dead nor insane despite Azkaban. He would tease you, and make you smile and laugh and have a play-fighting with him and put your mind up in the blink of an eye and I'll never be able to do so, because I'm not him, Sirius, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...” 

“It's okay,” Sirius almost moaned. “Let it be, Moony. Please. Just need you to hug me.” 

They stayed like that, cuddled against the bed, until Sirius's head began to ache and to wag. 

“You alright?” Remus asked, concerned. 

“Starving. Hadn't had a proper meal for, well, I can't tell.” 

Remus grinned. Food was something he can handle far more better than despair. 

“I'll order something while you take your bath.” 

A few moments later, he used the phone to order a take-away, silently thanking his mother who ensured he was familiar with a few Muggle things. Sirius undressed himself, pulling Azkaban's rags in a mess on the floor. He wasn't skinny, Remus though looking at him. He was _scrawny._ Frail, gaunt and pale a way that hurted Remus's heart. The jail and the years had been unkind with him, fading his handsome youth and the silk of his black hair, beating his sensitive, light skin, hollowing his shoulders and cheeks out. But he wore on the face, on his way of holding, the very same wild, deep, indominable _will_ that led him through things far harder than anyone could imagine, unbowed and unbroken, and here was the Sirius Remus always knew and waited for. His Sirius. 

“Don't,” Sirius said. 

“Don't what?” 

“Don't glare at me like that. I'm aware I'm not handsome anymore, Rem, but seeing that disgust in your eyes – it hurt.” 

“Disgust? You truly think you disgust me, you silly, stupid moron?” Remus frowned. 

He crossed the room and pined Sirius against the wall and kissed him with all the angst, all the relief, all the compassion and all the love he had for him, and that was a deep, feral, passionate kiss, hard and long and hopeless and hopeful at the very same time, and his hands grabbed Sirius's swollen wrists and locked them on the wall on either side of his shoulders and broke the kiss frustrated and breathless, leaving them both panting, needing for air. 

“I love you and you're gorgeous, Sirius! Don't you _dare_ to say that kind of nonsense once more, do you ear me?” he growled. 

“If _this_ is the punishment I deserve for saying it, I think I'll dare,” Sirius teased. 

Remus rolled his eyes, refused to look down because he very well knew what he would see, and almost threw Sirius in the bath. It was far too easy not to be heartbreaking. 

“Wash yourself, you smells like an old wet dog,” he snapped. 

“Yes, Sir,” Sirius complied. 

After a while, Remus helped him wash his hairs, and cut them from elbow-length to a far more easier shoulder-length. He gently massaged his lover's head with shampoo, and Sirius moaned in delight. 

“I love you, Moony,” he eventually said. 

“So do I, Pads. Now get out of there and shave, our lunch is ready.” 

They ate half on the floor, half on the desk, Sirius barely wrapped in a towel and a dressing-gown, lying in the window's sunspot, Remus feeding him slowly, bite after bite, refusing to let him eat too much and too fast. Soon enough the lunch was over, and they were naked and lying on the bed, kissing and snuggling warm and sweet for hours before they slowly moved to something more active.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter popped out of my head quite unwillingly, so it will be a mature one, R-rated and everything. I'll post two chapters at the same time, then you'll be able to skip it, it's not necessary to read it to go with the story. If you're too young to read erotic stuff, please skip the 10th/29th chapter, thank you very much.


	10. Chapter 28: Where we belong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basically... Well, quality time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **THIS CHAPTER IS R-RATED, IT'S AN EROTIC & EXPLICIT ONE SO YOU CAN SKIP IT IF YOU DON'T WANT/ARE TOO YOUNG TO READ THAT KIND OF STUFF!!!!**  
> I posted this chapter sidealong with the next one to ensure that people not willing to read that will have a chapter anyway.  
> If you want? Enjoy!!!

It began with almost nothing, Sirius's hand rubbing Remus's hips, and the werewolf moaning deeply in pleasure. He rolled on his side and kissed his black-haired lover deeply, gently, sweetly but absolutely not innocently. His tongue found its way between Sirius's teeth, curled up with another tongue and teased it and he nibbled the beautiful and chapped bottom lips he remembered being a soft spot. 

Sirius moaned in the kiss, closing his eyes to enjoy it deeper. He knew Remus wanted to lead. Remus always wanted to lead. Despite the appearance, he was far more possessive and dominant that Sirius ever was. He pined his lover to the bed, wrists immobilized each side of his head. Remus was an inch smaller than him, but he always had been stronger, a side-effect of the werewolf condition. 

“How bad for you, Sirius, my love,” he teased, his lips brushing and ghosting his lover's perfect cheekbone, “escaping from Azkaban to run right in a werewolf's trap.” 

“Am I still a prisoner, then?” the black-haired man whispered in delight. 

“You're not my prisoner. You're _mine,_ body, spirit and soul, Sirius _Padfoot_ Orion Black.” 

_“Yours,”_ Sirius repeated. “All yours, Moony. Forever.” 

He loved that idea. He loved the idea to be owned once more by him, to belong to him. He had craved for that twelve long years. In Remus's arms, under Remus's weight, into Remus's warmth, he felt home. 

Remus began to lick his ear's shell, nuzzling the soft spots under his black locks, then in his neck, hands still holding his wrists. Sirius knew he won't let them go. He won't let him go. Remus was like that. After loosing him for twelve years, he needed to ensure that Sirius won't go. 

The werewolf kissed and bited his shoulder, sucked it and left a purple love bite on it, just low enough to be hidden under a T-shirt or something. Then he let another next to the first, and three on the other side while Sirius whined, mutely begging for more. Remus's leg sneaked in between Sirius's, his thigh rubbing his lover's balls, first slowly and then waving harder and harder, building up the black-haired man's cock without even touching it. 

“Fuck, Rem,” Sirius moaned. “I – ah!” 

“Let me,” Remus answered. “I'll make you mine. All mine, just like you deserve it, Sirius.” 

Sirius nodded, unable to speak clearly anyway. He felt the heat filling his body, from his pubis to his head, losing a bit more control, eyes cloudy and watery and bright, mind blurry and shut. He felt more than anything Remus's hands turning his hips and then his whole body over, twisting his wrists on his back and tied them together with something soft he supposed being his tie. 

“On your knees, love,” Remus commanded, and Sirius obeyed, pulling his knees under his chest, leaving his shoulders rest on the pillows. 

“Suck,” the werewolf added putting two fingers in his lover's mouth. 

Sirius licked and sucked the fingers with ardour and fervour and tears in the eyes. Oh by Merlin's sake he felt so good! He groaned when the fingers went out, leaving him panting, his scarlet, sexy tongue slightly out of his eager, perfect lips. 

“Patience, love,” the sandy-haired man whispered near his ear, “you'll enjoy it.” 

He gently, carefully pulled a finger inside him, and Sirius opened wide, wet eyes in surprise and pain and pleasure. 

“You're so sexy, Sirius,” Remus muttered. “You're so gorgeous it's almost unbearable.” 

He stretched him, sweet but firm, soon two fingers inside him, the other hand holding his tied wrists, as his lover moaned more and more loudly. 

“Tell me, Pads, would you go away, now?” 

_“No!”_ Sirius almost cried out. “Never! I will never leave you anymore, Moony!” 

“Swear it,” Remus commanded. 

“I swear, I swear I'll never leave you anymore! I'm yours, Moons, I'm bloody fucking damn yours forever!” 

“Good boy.” 

Then he added a third finger, and ran out of saliva by the way. 

“Fuck,” he swore. “Accio,” he soflty casted, and grabbed the hotel's bath oil that flew at him. 

He used it to stretch his lover a bit more, and then tantalizingly put his own cock on Sirius's butt, and Sirius shivered with delight. 

“Beg for it,” the sandy-haired man ordered. 

“Oh, Rem, you're being mean! Please! Please fuck me right now because I fucking need it! Take me, make me yours, please, please, pleaaase...” 

“Yeah, for sure you're a good boy,” Remus smiled and pulled inside Sirius in one, long move. 

He stopped there for a while, letting his lover, all panting and sweating, the time to adjust. When he felt him soothe around his cock, he slowly began do move again. 

“Ah, Moony, _Moooony!_ ” Sirius cried out, weeping in pleasure and heat and desire, mouth slightly opened, lips swollen and cheeks sweetly pink under a flow of black locks. Merlin it was good, that feeling to be all wrapped in Remus, embraced and comforted and loved. Oh, yeah, and fucked. 

Remus speeded up his move, making both of them moan and whine and growl and sweat, firmly holding and leading Sirius's hips against him with one hand. With the other, he grabbed Sirius's cock and wanked off. 

They both came soon, crying out the other's name, and collapsed on the bed, exhausted and content. 

“Oh Merlin I love you, Moony,” Sirius panted nuzzling his lover's shoulder. “I love you so bloody much... I love you, I love you, I love you,” he chanted feeling Remus's slender fingers untying his wrists. 

The werewolf softly massaged them. They were red and swollen and even bloody after all what they'd gone through, and he kissed them and healed them with a wandless, mute healing spell. 

“Does it hurt?” 

“Yeah. But _you_ didn't hurt me.” 

Remus nodded and traced his lover's sharp, aristocratic cheekbone with his thumb, looking with concern at his dark-ringed eyes which were closing by themselves. 

“You look dead tired.” 

“I am... May I take a nap? I don't know if I'm able to stay awake after that.” 

“Then you'd better to sleep, Pads. I'll take a shower and join you as soon as I'm clean.” 

Sirius's head rested heavily on the pillow. 

“Moons?” he whispered before Remus stood up. 

“Yes?” 

“I'm truly yours, you know.” 

“Yes, Sirius.” he muttered smiling and brushing Sirius's hair. “I know. Rest, for now. I won't be long.”


	11. Chapter 29: First and last times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hogwarts Express and punky Sirius.

For the first time in his life, Harry was excited in the Hogwarts Express. For the first time, Ron and Hermione had to calm him down at least ten times during the trip, because he was driving them crazy in the compartment they shared. 

“I'm going to live with them!” he said one more time. “With Sirius and Professor Lupin! _Isn't it brilliant?”_

“As brilliant as the three hundred first times you said it,” Hermione pointed. “And don't speak again about your owl, Ron!” 

The red-haired boy was presently smiling wide to his new owl, a tiny feather ball frantically flying in his cage. To Hermione's relief, because her headache began to be unbearable between frantic-Harry, frantic-Ron and frantic-tiny-owl-without-a-name-yet, the train slowed down. As soon as it stopped, Harry was on the platform, looking for Sirius. 

Then he saw him, wearing an older-that-old rock-band T-shirt, a shabby Muggle blue-jean and a worn-out motorbike leather jacket, a wide joyful smile all over his face, black hairs tied up in a wild, messy ponytail, a three-days beard darkening his jaw that made him pretty handsome, even if still skinny. Definitively looking like the greatest, coolest godfather ever. Waving a hand at him. Welcoming him. His heart bounced madly in his chest. 

He jumped out of the train and threw himself on Sirius' open arms, catching him in a breathless bear-hug that his godfather responded the very same way. 

“Hey, son,” Sirius greeted him. “Ron, Hermione, glad to see you as well. How’s your leg, Ron?” 

“Fine, thanks. And thanks for the stupid owl too. He’s fun.” 

“That's exactly what I was thinking when I bought it. I’m still sorry I have to hurt you.” 

“It’s okay. In a way, it was my turn to end at the hospital wing, considering Hermione was last year and Harry spend a lot of time there every year.” 

“That’s silly,” Hermione said. “Where are you going to live now, Sirius? I read somewhere that the Black family had a house in London.” 

“Is there anything in this world you don’t know, Hermione?” he asked, pretty amazed, Crookshank climbing him to reach his arms, where he nestled and purred. “oh, hey, Crooks. Well, actually, I bought a house somewhere far nicer than London. I think the furniture are all there, now.” 

“Weren’t you supposed to rest, you utterly twat?” a soft voice scolded behind them. 

Remus Lupin was there, levitating his old trunk near him. Harry glared at his godfather and discovered that his teacher was right: Sirius was still pale and gaunt and obviously exhausted, with those dark-ringed eyes that may be mistaken for make-up considering his dressing style. But he was also that happy and smiling that it hide his physical shape almost perfectly. 

“Nice to see you too, Moons,” Sirius grinned. “You will love the house, all the four of you.” 

But they had to cut here, because Molly Weasley was coming, calling Ron. She went to them and hugged every teen before peering at the two grown-ups, unsure. 

“Good afternoon, Molly,” Remus said, and received his hug as well. 

Something quite icy remained between Sirius and Molly, anyway. 

“ Well, erm, hello, Molly. You've a very brave son.” 

She nodded, unsure. 

“So... you're Harry's new guardian?” 

“Technically, I have been for twelve years, but yeah.” 

“And you'll live together?” 

“Yeah. By the way, would you mind if he spend a few night at the Burrow during the full moons? I can't leave any of those two alone and Ron's Harry's best friend, sooo...” 

He was cut by two strong arms around his waist, the only part of his body Molly could hug without flying. 

“Well, you're welcome, Molly,” Sirius said trying very had not to laugh. “And, erm, I'm sorry about the Valentine Day's incident in 1975. Never thought it will ruin your new dress forever.” 

“You... You remember that?” she startled and flushed as scarlett as her hair. 

“Plenty of time to think about it, yeah. And about your revenge.” 

“Oh Merlin...” she muttered, and she looked down. “I'm quite sorry about the revenge, too.” 

“Never mind. It's okay.” 

“I'm glad you've been cleared,” she finaly said. “Try to take your duties as a caretaker seriously, would you?” 

“Don't worry, Molly, I'm always _Sirius.”_

She rolled her eyes and snapped him playfully on the forearm. She won't act different with Fred and George, and Harry was a bit upset to see his godfather threated like an overgrown child, but Sirius himself didn't seem to mind. 

“Ron, your siblings are waiting, so let's go home. See you soon, Harry, Remus. Sirius.” 

“See you, Molly, and greet Arthur for us!” 

“See you soon, everybody!” Ron added running after his mother. 

“I think I’d better to go as well,” Hermione said. “My parents are waiting. Goodbye, Sirius, Harry, Professor Lupin.” 

“Holidays, Hermione. Until the first of September, it’s Remus.” 

“Er, Remus. See you soon?” 

“Very soon,” Harry promised, and she went smiling wide. 

“What about us?” Remus asked. “Where shall we go?” 

“Home!” Sirius answered with the wildest, widest grin. “We’ll need to Apparate, the floo network won’t be okay before two days… I’ve prepared the most part, but the furniture was delivered this morning only, so we’ll have some unpacking to do.” 

Harry was extatic, for sure, but Remus seemed dismayed. 

“Padfoot, for Merlin’s sake, do you spend two days buying a house and furniture instead of, I don’t know? Find some clothes that doesn’t come from your late-teenager times – I wonder where you found them? Or, maybe rest? Shave? Take some care of yourself? _Sleep?_ We may have use the Cauldron’s guestrooms for a few days.” 

“Haven’t enough energy for everything, Moons. Emergencies first. I wanted Harry and you to have a home as soon as possible, and I assume it’s done. Ready, Prongslet?” 

Those last words were for Harry, who smiled wide and nodded in enthusiasm. 

“Okay, you’ll Apparate with Remus, I’ll take the trunks.” 

Remus’s look was more and more concerning by seconds, but Harry obeyed quickly and they Apparated at their new home in the blink of an eye and a very loud crack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never understood why Molly is such an arsehole with Sirius, basically snapping at him each time they had to interact together. As a friend od mine once said, with such friends Sirius doesn't need enemies!!!  
> So, well, I found a silly reason to make them better. Not that I enjoy Molly as a character, but so. Well. Next chapter will end the first part, that was the end of the third book. Next will be Goblet of Fire.


	12. Chapter 30: No goodbyes anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> End of first part, or third book.  
> Or, Fluff/Angst/Fluff. And fish and chips.

For Harry, it was love at first sight. Starlake House, it was the name, stood near the so-named lake, near a deep and very green forest surrounded by soft highlands hills. It was an average, but not that big house, made of grey stones and dark oak wood with an ivy climbing north wall and a lot of moss everywhere, but it looked warm and free from neighbourhood and the garden was wide, as wide as the lake and the forest and the hills. 

It looked wild and free and definitively _magic_ , Harry decided, and Merlin he would _love live in it._

“You’re first to pick your bedroom,” Sirius said opening the door with a wave of his newly-retrieved wand. 

They spend one hour or so visiting the house. It was biggest than it looked, and Harry was almost sure that there was an extending charm on it. 

Downstairs were a large living room, full of packages of furniture, a light-full kitchen, a laundry and – to Remus’ delight – a cosy, comfy library. Upstairs, three bedrooms and two bathrooms completed the house, and it was perfect, to Harry’s advice. 

After a few hours they were all exhausted, but the largest part of the furniture was more or less at the right place or at least in the right room. Harry had choose a bedroom with a view over the lake, plain west, and by the window he saw the sun slowly crawling behind the hills. Sirius helped him, levitating his trunk upstairs, while Remus was unpacking the dishes in the kitchen. 

“Well, guess I fancy a shower,” Sirius said, landing the trunk on the bedroom’s floor. “I’ll let you make this room your own by your way… If you need anything, feel free to ask Remus. Or to do as you want. This is your home, now.” 

He tousled Harry’s hairs and reached the door. 

“Sirius,” Harry called. 

Sirius turned back. 

“Yeah?” he asked, and a second later his godson was hugging him tight. 

“I’m glad to be here. I’m glad to live with you and prof… Remus. I’m glad you’re cleared and free and that we’re all safe. Everything feels so right!” 

“That’s ‘cause it is,” he answered, and hugged him back, gently rubbing the back of his godson’s neck. 

They stayed there a warm and silent moment at the bedroom’s door, then they broke apart. 

“Unpacking time for you,” Sirius said. “Shower time for me. I won’t be long.” 

Harry opened his trunk and began to unpack the few things he owned: mostly schoolbooks and school stuff, considering what Sirius had done with Dudley’s old clothes he had to wear at the Dursleys’ – he had burned them as soon as he had knew the truth about it. – Opening his cupboard to put his robes in, he discovered a few new clothes at his size, mostly red and gold, muggles’ ones and wizards’ ones. They all were marked at his name. His heart jumped. He choose a jean, a right-sized new jean, and a red t-shirt with a Snitch on it. At _his_ size, not ten times too big. He dressed up and use the mirror inside the cupboard to look at that smiling well-dressed boy he was right now. With a relieved sight, he patted Hedwig on the head. God he loved his owl, and his godfather, and his very new life. Suddenly the loud noise of a fall made him jump. Something was cold in the air. 

Harry instantly understood. 

He ran out of his bedroom and in the corridor where he met Lupin, his wand already in the hand. They froze, and the silence hurt them hard. A second later they cracked the bathroom door wide open to discover Sirius lying on the bloody floor, a huge, dark shadow blowing above him. 

_“Expecto Patronum!”_ both Lupin and Harry yelled, and two silver lights came out of their wands. 

Harry’s stag was bright, but brightest was Lupin’s huge, rogue wolf, almost blinding them when it furiously jumped on the Dementor. The stag stood above Sirius, shielding him, but the wolf didn’t even try. It launched an attack on the Dementor, aiming the neck, the head, whatever that may look like a weak spot. It wasn’t meant to protect, but to fight and kill, and so it did. In a matter of a few but frightening seconds, an awful crack stunned Harry, and there was nothing left but a shaking Sirius with a bloody head on the bathroom floor and an ebony rag trapped in the silver wolf’s mouth. Then the stag and the wolf disappeared as the temperature grew up in the room, and the rag fell on the floor. 

“Sirius!” Harry called. 

He kneeled near him, and so did Remus. Sirius was wearing nothing except a bath towel wrapped around his bony hips, and was pale a shade you needed to find a new word to name it. A dead man looked colourful near him. And he was ice-cold, and shaking, and bleeding, and crying hard and painful tears as he curled up in Lupin’s arms when his friend took him from the floor and hugged him tight. 

“It’s over, Sirius,” Lupin said, and Harry found his thinking quite unsuitable, that he had never see Lupin touch anyone but Sirius Black, “I swear it’s over.” 

Harry caught Sirius’s grey look between Remus’s arms. 

“Harry…” Sirius croaked. “You okay?” 

“Yes,” the boy answered, “I wasn’t the target.” 

But Lupin’s concerns cut them there. 

“Harry, would you mind to wet a towel and hand it to me?” he asked, and the boy immediately did so. “And you, don’t even try to move,” he added to Sirius. “You may have a concussion. Let me have a look…” 

He very carefully took Sirius’ chin to check his eyes using a Lumos, and soon sighted in relief. He thanked for the towel and began to wipe his friend’s bloody temple. With a grief growing up in his chest again the Dementors and Azkaban and Bartimeus Crouch Sr, Harry looked at his godfather who soon fainted on Remus’s arms, exhausted and deadly pale. He looked even more gaunt and frail that way, and it was kind of frightening. 

“Will he be okay?” the boy asked with angst and concern. 

“He will,” Lupin answered, voice sure and calm. “Please help me bring him to bed, he needs to rest. Oh and by the way… Brilliant Patronus. A shame it's holidays: I can't give Gryffindor fifty points before the beginning of the year.” 

Harry smiled and helped Lupin to bring Sirius, who managed to be just awake enough to ask for pajama bottoms, to a hastily-dressed-up bed. After a while Sirius was sleeping on a magically warmed mattress, his bandaged head resting on a fluffy pillow and a few chocolate in his stomach, as much as Lupin had managed to make him eat. He gave twice the amount to Harry. They sat a long time on armchairs near Sirius, Lupin looking at his friend’s heavy sleep in a perfect silence and Harry reading a book about Quiddich. After twenty minutes or so, Harry peered at Lupin behind his book. The werewolf caught it and smiled. 

“Please feel free to tell or ask me whatever you want, Harry.” 

“Thanks, prof… er, Remus. Sorry.” 

“No offense taken. You may need some time to accustom to… well, pretty everything new in your life, I guess?” 

“… I’m leaving my awful aunt and uncle to live with my _awesome_ godfather, now cleared of everything he was supposed to be, and who is a gay Animagus in love with my _awesome_ werewolf DADA teacher and…” 

He stopped and smiled, waving his hands in enthusiasm, but unable to find the right words to such great and sudden improvement in his life. 

“I may assume it’s a lot of change in a very short time.” 

“Oh I love every part of this,” Harry said. “Including you and Sirius being together. I mean, that was a bit strange at first seeing you snog like that at the end of the trial, but I can’t help but being happy for both of you.” 

Lupin smiled, and that was a worried, but far less grieving smile than those he was accustomed of. He finally eased himself on the armchair, and ten years at least lifted out of his shoulders. 

“You really are a good boy, you know that? When your mother found about Sirius and me, well… she had almost exactly the same words. Except she said it was a bit strange of me to fall for such – how did she said it? – a childish drama-queen.” 

Harry couldn’t help but laugh. 

“That was fair enough,” Sirius’ hoarse voice said. “I _was_ a childish drama-queen in sixth year.” 

“You’re together since _sixth year?”_ Harry asked, leaving his armchair to sit on the bed near his godfather. Sirius looked a bit less exhausted, and he was smiling. 

“Yes,” Remus said, grabbing his lover’s hand. “But we never showed it anyway. The Wizarding World is quite… old-fashioned about, er, lots of things, including homosexuality, werewolves, and sometimes gender equality or blood status as well.” 

“Very few people knew about us,” Sirius remembered. “James, of course, and Lily, who always found out everything. And…” 

He stopped right there and both Harry and Remus were very well aware about the remaining name. 

“I think McGonagall found out too far before we were aware of it,” Lupin said to ease the mood, and so it did. “She discovered us once behind the Minautor statue in the third floor corridor.” 

“She did? I… don’t remember.” 

“You will. Give yourself time and space, Padfoot. Well, who here fancy some diner? I don’t feel to cook. May we order a take-away, o pater familias of the house Black?” 

A barklike laugh answered, and Harry’s smirk was that wide he suspected it may stay stuck like that on his face. 

“The heir choose. What do you want for diner, Harry?” 

It was the very first time of his life Harry had to choose the menu, and that simple idea make him want to hug both Sirius and Remus. Which he did, because there was nothing he could do to help with the increasing joy in his heart but sharing it. 

“Oy, pup,” Sirius said laughing and rubbing Harry’s scalp, “I love you too.” 

Remus remained silent, a bit scared by the sudden contact of Harry’s arm on his chest, but he eased after a while. A loud growl came from the teenager’s belly, begging for what it needed, and make the three of them laughing again. 

“Fish and chips?” Harry said as soon as able to speak. “May we?” 

“That sounds brilliant,” Sirius said. “I can’t remember the last time I had fish and chips.” 

Harry didn’t allow himself to think that it may _not_ be a maner of speaking. 

They ordered fish and chips at a Muggle shop on the nearest village and eat it on a bed Remus refused that Sirius left, telling stories about Hogwarts, the Marauders and Harry, Ron and Hermione’s adventures. Sirius was quite impressed by the Chamber of Secrets and the fight against the Basilisk and asked a lot about the diary, and swore an incredible amount of time about Snape being a git, with Harry’s full approval. None of them cared about the clock, and it was quite late at night when Harry began to yawn. 

“You should go to bed,” Remus said. “We’ll have plenty of time tomorrow as well to chat or whatever you’ll want to do.” 

Harry nodded and made his way to the bathroom, but he couldn’t help hearing what Sirius and Lupin were saying. 

“Now tell me what happened,” Remus asked. “I know you don’t want to scare Harry, but you were cleared! We can’t allow Dementors to attack you like that…” 

“It was worse than an attack, Moony. That Dementor...” 

It take three long and hard breaths to Sirius to be able to end his sentence. 

“It was trying to kiss me.” 

_“What?!”_ Lupin yelled in horror. 

“It was trying to kiss me,” Sirius repeated harshly. “That’s why I didn’t want to speak in front of Harry. I know how strong he is but I don’t want him to worry for me. He’d had enough, he deserves holidays…” 

“That’s okay,” Harry cut him coming back in the bedroom. “I’m quite good at being stuck in big problems everywhere and having an almost-normal life,” he added smiling at the two stunned men. “However, I deserve to know the whole thing too. You’re my family, aren’t you?” 

Sirius’ eyes were full of tears he was trying hard to keep inside, and a moment later they were gone for a second round of group-hug. Another moment and Sirius collapsed in a heavy sleep, letting his exhaustion win the game against his will to stay awake with his godson and his lover. 

“Do you mind staying with Sirius for the time I floo Dumbledore?” Lupin asked Harry. “I think the Dementor’s attack had to be reported, and as a now notorious werewolf, well… I think it’s better if he’s the one who report that at the Minister.” 

“I hate this, you know?” 

“What?” 

“The way they treat you. Like you’re a beast or a monster or… I mean, you’re the best DADA teacher I’ve ever had and I don’t care you being a werewolf. Neither being gay nor poor nor anything.” 

Lupin’s face became suddenly very tired as he pulled the blankets on Sirius’ chest. 

“Thanks, Harry.” 

“I’ll stay with him. I’m wide awake for now, so…” 

Remus nodded and left. 

When he came back a few minutes later, the godson was sleeping too, sharing his godfather’s pillow. Lupin smiled and grabbed him in his arms to bring him in his own bedroom. As a werewolf he was truly stronger than what he looked like, but Harry was too light too. He put him in bed and casted another silver wolf to watch over the house before joining Sirius in a well-deserved sleep. 

They were home at last. There will be no goodbyes anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here end the Prisoner of Azkaban.  
> I'll write the Goblet of Fire too, but fare more quickly than the original book, with long narrative ellipses when you can find the very same events in the book. Instead will stand Remus's, Sirius's and Harry's letters.


End file.
